Danny’s Friend

By Rosemary H. Dill

Danny has lots of friends. One of them is Brother Green. Brother Green is old, even older than Danny’s grandfather. His hands and face are wrinkled. He has snow-white hair and glasses that keep sliding down his nose.

One day Danny’s friend Jeff called him on the phone. “Can you come over to play ball?” Jeff asked.

“Not now,” said Danny. “I’m going to go see Brother Green. He’s my friend too.”

“Does Brother Green play ball?” asked Jeff.

“No,” said Danny.

“Does he like to climb trees?” asked Jeff.

“No,” said Danny. “He’s too old to climb trees.”

“Well,” Jeff asked, “what good is having a friend who doesn’t do things that you like to do?”

Danny thought for a minute. He remembered the time when his dog, Ginger, had been run over by a car. When he had told Brother Green about it, Brother Green hadn’t said much. He’d just listened while Danny talked and talked about the fun that he and Ginger had had. And Danny had felt much better when he went home.

Then Danny remembered the day that his best friend, Robert, had moved away. Brother Green was out trimming his bushes. He’d asked Danny, “How’s everything going?” And when Danny had told Brother Green how much he was going to miss Robert, Brother Green had nodded and said, “It’s hard to lose a friend.” And again Danny had felt a little better when he went home.

Danny remembered telling Brother Green good things, too—like the time when he got his new dog, Pepper. And when his mother was going to have a baby.

Suddenly Danny knew what to tell Jeff: “Brother Green always takes the time to listen to my stories. He makes me feel important.”

Now Jeff and all his friends who play ball, ride bikes, and climb trees with Danny have Brother Green for their friend too.

Illustrated by Phyllis Luch